RUKA

Sceneggiatura / Screenplay: Jiří Trnka. Fotografia / Photography: Jiří Šafář. Montaggio / Editing: Hana Walachová. Musica / Music: Václav Trojan. Suono / Sound: Miloš Alster, Emil Poledník. Scenografia / Art Director: Jiří Trnka. Animazione / Animators: Bohuslav Šrámek, Jan Adam. Interpreti / Cast: Ladislav Fialka. Produzione / Produced by: Krátký film Praha, Studio kresleného a loutkového filmu.

A small craftsman, within four walls, dressed as a Harlequin, makes his own pottery and places seedlings in it. A huge hand knocks on the door and enters the dwelling,  intimating the craftsman to fashion sculptures in his own image. It breaks into the house, smashes the pots, damages the plants and forces its presence through telephone and mass media. What can the hapless artisan do?

Jiří Trnka
An internationally renowned animated film director, puppeteer and painter, Jiří Trnka was born in 1912 in Plzeň, Bohemia. His films Zvírátka a petrovstí and Sen noci svatojánské were awarded at Cannes FF. He founded a puppet theatre and the studio Bratři v triku, where a number of illustrators and directors were trained. His famous puppet films were inspired by folklore and Czech art. He died in Prague in 1969.

filmografia scelta / selected filmography
1946 Zvírátka a petrovstí (The Animals and the Brigands) cm / sf; Premi / Awards: Cannes FF – Miglior cortometraggio / Best Short Film 1951 Bajaja; Premi / Awards: Locarno IFF 1954 Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka I. (The Good Soldier Schweik – From Hatvan to Galicia) 1959 Sen noci svatojánské (A Midsummer Night’s Dream); Premi / Awards: Cannes FF – Premio della miglior selezione (Prix de la meilleure sélection) / Best Selection Award 1961 Kybernetická babička (The Cybernetic Grandmother) cm / sf 1964 Archanděl Gabriel a paní Husa (Archangel Gabriel and Mistress Goose) cm / sf 1965 Ruka (The Hand) cm / sf